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Vaccine manufacturers, representatives of World Health Organisation (WHO) and regulatory agencies from various countries on Wednesday began discussion to develop an international reference standard and reagents to evaluate Sabin Inactivated Polio Vaccine (sIPV).

While the experts mentioned that there 2 licensed products currently available from China and Japan, there is a need for additional manufacturers to meet the demand for sIPV to assist in the vaccine supplies for global eradication of Poliomyelitis.

With successful global polio eradication in near future, immunization with oral polio vaccine will be discontinued. The experts say sIPV will have higher efficacy than oral vaccine.

They said this help overcome problems in north Indian states like Uttar Pradesh where children are being given dozens of oral polio vaccines. They believe that 2-3 doses of sIPV will be sufficient.

It was indicated around 230 million doses of sIPV at affordable price would be required annually for global vaccination.

The experts also highlighted the need for GAP III containment facilities for the manufacturers of polio vaccines, including sIPV.

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech played its part in bringing this workshop here. The city was chosen for for being a prominent vaccine manufacturing hub in India and its contribution towards the eradication of polio and other vaccine supplies for India, other developing countries and international agencies.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)